Hygienic footwear cushion and the method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A hygienic footwear cushion having a composition comprising bamboo charcoal soot and a footwear material and a method of manufacturing such footwear cushion are disclosed. The footwear cushion material is SEBE, other SEBE equivalent material, or other suitable material for manufacturing footwear cushion. The footwear cushion is a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch, or a heel cup. The hygienic footwear cushion according to the current invention provides an improved ability to maintain dryness and obtains the property to be bacteria and odor free.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 12/390,635, filed on Feb. 23, 2009, now pending, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. No. 61/077,902, filed on Jul. 3, 2008, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Although incorporated by reference in its entirety, no arguments or disclaimers made in the parent applications apply to this application. Any disclaimer that may have been stated in the specification of the above-referenced applications is hereby expressly rescinded. Consequently, the Patent Office is asked to review the new set of claims in view of all of the prior art of record and any search that the Office deems appropriate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention generally relates to a footwear accessory or a footwear component with bamboo charcoal soot. More particularly, the present invention relates to a footwear cushion in various forms with bamboo charcoal soot.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the trend towards health care, footwear cushion is important in providing comfort. However, conventional footwear cushion absorbs moisture and produces odor; and over the time of usage, footwear cushion will absorb user's body fluid and result in growing bacteria and producing odors. There is a continuing need for new ways to eliminate bacteria and odor for footwear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hygienic footwear cushion with bamboo charcoal soot. One of the contemplated compositions provides a footwear cushion with an improved ability to maintain its dryness and to be bacterial and odor free.

To achieve the above advantage and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a footwear cushion that includes a special bamboo charcoal soot hygienic material. The hygienic material can be tailored to various designs/colors for the footwear cushion.

The contemplated hygienic footwear cushion is made of the material of poly-styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBE) with bamboo charcoal soot. The SEBE can be replaced with other similar and suitable material for manufacturing the footwear cushion, such as SIS, ISI, SBS, TPE, TPR, and PU.

In a preferred embodiment, the contemplated hygienic composition of bamboo charcoal soot and footwear cushion material for a hygienic footwear cushion has a ratio including and between 1:1000 by weight and 10:1000 by weight.

The contemplated hygienic footwear cushion is a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch or a heel cup with bamboo charcoal soot.

Another aspect of the invention is directed to a method of making hygienic footwear cushion which has the step of placing a footwear cushion material and bamboo charcoal soot into a container to create a mixture, placing the mixture into an injection machine, setting the temperature including and between 150 degree Celsius and 200 degree Celsius, setting the pressure including and between 50 kilograms per square centimeter and 100 kilograms per square centimeter, and setting the time including and between 25 seconds and 50 seconds.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the footwear cushion of FIG. 2 without bamboo charcoal soot.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a hygienic footwear cushion with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing a thong cover with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the thong cover with bamboo charcoal soot of FIG. 3A applied on a thong of a sandal of the current invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a plurality of sling back strips with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the sling back strip with bamboo charcoal soot of FIG. 4A applied on a back strap of a shoe of the current invention.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a plurality of heel shields with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the heel shield with bamboo charcoal soot of FIG. 5A applied in an inner arch of the heel of a shoe of the current invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a plurality of sore spot patches with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a plurality of heel cups with bamboo charcoal soot of the current invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

The inventive subject matter is a hygienic footwear cushion providing a comfort support to footwear; all types of footwear are contemplated. The contemplated composition comprises footwear cushion material and bamboo charcoal soot that minimizes odor, moisture, and bacteria.

As used herein, the term “bamboo charcoal soot” in conjunction with the composition refers to a bamboo charcoal in various forms; for example, powder, granules, and concentrate. In the most preferred embodiment, bamboo charcoal is in fine powder form.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the footwear cushion of FIG. 2 without bamboo charcoal soot. FIG. 2 shows the footwear cushion 1 according to the current invention. The cushion 1 is molded into a specifically designed shape to support the user's foot. In one of the preferred embodiments, the footwear cushion 1 occupies the frontal area of a shoe which corresponds to the toe area and the ball area of a foot. In alternative embodiments, the footwear cushion occupies a portion of the sole of a foot. In other embodiments, the footwear cushion occupies the entire foot. The footwear cushion has two major partitions: a front portion 2 and a back portion 3. These two partitions are located on a same plane; that is, they are on the same side of a footwear cushion as shown in the referenced figures. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 depicts the shape to support each toe individually at the toe area of a foot. The toe area of a foot occupies the front portion 2 of the footwear cushion and has a plurality of indentations 4 designated to conform to the toes for the purpose of providing stability. In a preferred embodiment, the indentations 4 have an elliptical shape configured to retain the toes for securing a comfort foot position. Alternatively, other shapes are also available to provide support to the toe area of a foot.

Also showing in FIG. 2 is the back portion 3 of the footwear cushion that provides stability to the ball area of a foot. The back portion 3 of the footwear cushion 1 has a plurality of protrusions 5 configured to increase friction between the cushion 1 and the foot and the protruded surface area provides stability to the foot. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of protrusions 5 has an inverted-Y shape. The shape of the protrusions 5 is not limited; in alternative, various designs can also be compromised. The grooves in between the protrusions provide space for ventilation which facilitates the effects of eliminating moisture and odor.

The footwear cushion 1 of the present invention is made by combining bamboo charcoal soot with a footwear cushion material such as poly-styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBE). The addition of bamboo charcoal soot reflects in a darker color of the footwear cushion 1 as shown in FIG. 2 compare to the footwear cushion as shown in FIG.1. Optionally, the SEBE can be replaced with other compatible or suitable material for manufacturing the footwear cushion 1; for example, SIS, ISI, SBS, TPE, TPR, and PU.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing a thong cover 6 with bamboo charcoal soot. FIG. 3B shows the thong cover 6 with bamboo charcoal soot of FIG. 3A applied on a thong of a sandal. The thong cover 6 is in a cylindrical shape with a lumen 7 along the length of the thong cover 6 to enclose the thong of the sandal. In one embodiment, the thong cover 6 is bendable and elastic and has a slit opening 7 a along the length of the thong cover 6 for easy application by an end user onto the thong of the sandal. The slit opening 7 a along the length of the thong cover 6 can be slightly bent open to fit onto the thong of the sandal. The elasticity of the thong cover 6 allows the thong cover 6 to return to its original shape after applying onto the thong of the sandal. In an alternative embodiment, the thong cover 6 is in a fully enclosed cylindrical shape with a lumen 7 along the length of the thong cover 6 (without a slit opening along the length of the thong cover 6) to provide sandal manufacture a ready-to-insert thong cover 6, so that the thong cover 6 is assembled to the sandal during manufacturing of the sandal. The thong cover 6 can be manufactured in different length to accommodate different thong lengths of different sandals. Also, as desired, the user can easily cut the thong cover 6 to adjust the length for better fitting. There is no limit to the length of the thong cover 6. Preferably, the length of the thong cover corresponds with the length of the thong on a thong sandal, and the thong is defined as the short section of the Y-shaped strap, located between the point where two side straps coverges and where the bottom tip of the “Y” attaches to the sole of the sandal. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, this short section is positioned between a wearer's toes.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a plurality of sling back strips 8 with bamboo charcoal soot and FIG. 4B shows a sling back strip 8 with bamboo charcoal soot, and the strip 8 is applied onto a back strap of a shoe. In one embodiment, the sling back strip 8 has a dimension ranging from 1 cm to 3 cm in width and a dimension ranging from 3 cm to 10 cm in length to accommodate different width and lengths of straps on strappy shoes. The contemplated sling back strip 8 can be cut or trimmed by a user as desired to fit the straps on strappy shoes, there is no limit to the dimension in length or width of the sling back strip 8.

In yet another embodiment, the sling back strips 8 have adhesive backing so the sling back strips 8 can be attached to the inside of the straps on strappy shoes.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a plurality of heel shields 9 with bamboo charcoal soot, and FIG. 4B shows the heel shield 9 with bamboo charcoal soot applied in an inner arch of the heel of a shoe. In one embodiment, the heel shield 9 has curvatures along its edges to accommodate curvatures of the heel of the shoe to avoid excess cushion material being disposed. The contemplated heel shield 9 has a length ranging from 5 cm to 10 cm and a width ranging from 2 cm to 5 cm. The heel shield 9 can be cut or trimmed by a user as desired to fit the heels of different shoes, there is no limit to the dimension in length or width of the heel shield 9. One skilled in the art would immediately recognize other desirable shapes, size, and thickness to achieve desired comfort.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a plurality of sore spot patches with bamboo charcoal soot. In one embodiment, the sore spot patch 10 varies in sizes and shapes to fit anywhere inside a shoe. The contemplated sore spot patch 10 is used at desired locations inside the shoe to protect any sensitive areas of a user's foot against excess rubbing that causes blisters on the foot. In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the sore spot patch 10 is circular that accommodates the curvatures of the user's foot as well as the curvatures of the shoe. However, there is no limit to the shape of the sore spot patch 10. The diameter of the contemplated circular sore spot patch 10 ranges from 1 cm to 5 cm. In yet another embodiment, the sore spot patch 10 can be cut or trimmed by a user as desired to fit any sensitive spot of the foot, there is no limit to the dimension in diameter of the sore spot patch 10.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a plurality of heel cups 11 with bamboo charcoal soot. The contemplated heel cup 11 is a foot insole inserted at a heel of a shoe to accommodate the curvatures of a user's heel along its arch. In one embodiment, the heel cup 11 provides comfort support extending from the back of the heel to the heel of the foot where the heel cup 11 forms a cup shape to accommodate the support.

Moreover, any of the above-mentioned footwear cushions—a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch or a heel cup can be reinserted or reused in another shoe or another location in the shoe at the convenience of the user.

Furthermore, the contemplated composition as described above may also be directed to a method of manufacturing a footwear cushion, a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch or a heel cup, by placing a footwear cushion material and bamboo charcoal soot into a container to create a mixture, then placing the mixture into an injection machine and setting the temperature including and between 150 degree Celsius and 200 degree Celsius, setting the pressure including and between 50 kilograms per square centimeter and 100 kilograms per square centimeter, and setting injection time including and between 25 seconds and 50 seconds. In one embodiment, the bamboo charcoal soot and the footwear cushion material has a ratio including and between 1:1000 by weight and 10:1000 by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the bamboo charcoal soot and the footwear cushion material has a ratio including and between 3:1000 by weight and 7:1000 by weight. Moreover, in a more preferred embodiment, the temperature is set including and between 170 degree Celsius and 190 degree Celsius, the pressure is set including and between 60 kilograms per square centimeter and 85 kilograms per square centimeter, and the injection time is set including and between 35 seconds and 45 seconds.

To sum up, the contemplated footwear cushions—a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch and a heel cup disclosed in the present invention are hygienic footwear cushions having a composition comprising a footwear cushion material and bamboo charcoal soot that minimizes odor, moisture, and bacteria.

Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed herein even when not initially claimed in such combinations.

The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims therefore include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Thus, specific embodiments and applications of the hygienic footware cushion and the manufacturing method thereof have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalent within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention. In addition, where the specification and claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc. 

1. A hygienic footwear cushion having a composition, the composition comprising: bamboo charcoal soot; a footwear cushion material; and wherein said footwear cushion material is at least one selected from the group consisting of poly-styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBE), SIS, ISI, SBS, TPE, TPR, and PU, wherein said footwear cushion is a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch, or a heel cup.
 2. The hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said bamboo charcoal soot and said footwear cushion material has a ratio including and between 1:1000 by weight and 10:1000 by weight.
 3. The hygienic footwear cushion of claim 2, wherein said bamboo charcoal soot and said footwear cushion material having a ratio including and between 3:1000 by weight and 7:1000 by weight.
 4. They hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said thong cover is in a cylindrical shape with a lumen along a length of said thong cover to enclose a thong of a sandal.
 5. They hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said sling back strip is a strip, wherein a longitudinal length of said sling back strip accommodates a strap of a shoe.
 6. The hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said heel shield is an insert having curvatures along its edges to accommodate curvatures of a heel of a shoe.
 7. The hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said sore spot patch varies in sizes and shapes to fit inside of a shoe as desired by a user.
 8. The hygienic footwear cushion of claim 1, wherein said heel cups is a foot insole inserted at a heel of a shoe accommodating curvatures of a heel of a user along an arch of the heel.
 9. A method of making a hygienic footwear cushion, the method comprising: placing a footwear cushion material and bamboo charcoal soot into a container to create a mixture; placing said mixture into an injection machine; setting a temperature including and between 150 degree Celsius and 200 degree Celsius; setting a pressure including and between 50 kilograms per square centimeter and 100 kilograms per square centimeter; and setting injection time including and between 25 seconds and 50 seconds, wherein said footwear cushion is a thong cover, a sling back strip, a heel shield, a sore spot patch, or a heel cup.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said bamboo charcoal soot and said footwear cushion material has a ratio including and between 1:1000 by weight and 10:1000 by weight.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein said bamboo charcoal soot and said footwear cushion material having a ratio including and between 3:1000 by weight and 7:1000 by weight.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein said temperature is including and between 170 degree Celsius and 190 degree Celsius.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein said pressure is including and between 60 kilograms per square centimeter and 85 kilograms per square centimeter.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein said injection time is including and between 35 seconds and 45 seconds. 